Monday, February 20, 2012

Chocolate Pudding

1/2 avocado, pitted
6 dates, pitted and quartered
4 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 C milk or water

Place all ingredients in food processor and blend until smooth.

(inspired by Decadent Chocolate Fix by Kate Geagan)

Black Bean and Corn Salsa

2 C frozen sweet corn
1 1/2 C black beans, drained
1 can fire roasted tomato
5 green onions, finely chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped and sautéed until golden
1 shallot, finely chopped and sautéed until golden
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 C lime juice
3 tbsp olive oil
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and diced

Stir together corn, beans, tomatoes, green onions, bell pepper, onion, shallot, garlic, lime juice and olive oil. Place in fridge to cool for one hour. Gently old in avocado. Serve chilled with chips.

(inspired by Heather's Cilantro, Black Bean and Corn Salsa by Hvoeltner)

Chicken Cordon Bleu Casserole

4 chicken breasts, cut into small cubes
1/2 lb. black forest ham, cut into small pieces
8 slices Swiss cheese
3 C cream of chicken soup
1 C low fat sour cream
1 C frozen sweet corn
1/2 C mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tbsp worcestershire
1/2 C seasoned bread crumbs
2 tbsp unsalted butter, cubed

Preheat oven to 350. Cover the bottom of a 9x9 pan with half the chicken. Cover chicken with ham, then cheese and then remaining chicken. Mix together cream of chicken soup, sour cream, corn, mushroom and Worcestershire and pour on top of the chicken. Top with bread crumbs and cubed butter. Bake for 60 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

To freeze: Cover the bottom of a 9x9 freezable pan with half the chicken. Cover chicken with ham, then cheese and then remaining chicken. Mix together cream of chicken soup, sour cream, corn, mushroom and Worcestershire and pour on top of the chicken. Top with bread crumbs and cubed butter. Before baking, fully defrost and cook at 350 for 60 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

(inspired by Chicken Cordon Bleu Bake by Henderson Family Favorite Recipes)

Sunday, February 19, 2012

Red Wine Dark Chocolate Cookies/Brownies

2 1/2 C flour
3/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 C unsalted butter
3/4 C sugar
3/4 C brown sugar, packed
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 C Pinot Noir
1 bag mini chocolate chips


Preheat oven to 350. Combine first four ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Then add egg, vanilla and wine. Slowly mix in dry ingredients and when well mixed fold in chocolate chips.

For cookies: drop teaspoons full of dough onto a greased baking sheet, bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes

For brownies: spread batter into a greased 8x8 pan and cook for 20-25 minutes. 

(inspired by Dark Chocolate and Red Wine Cookies by Keep it Simple Foods)

Sauteed Chicken and Mushrooms

4 chicken breasts, cut into thin slices
pinch of salt
1 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp unsalted butter
3/4 C chicken broth
3/4 C white wine
2 C mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/8 tsp thyme
chopped parsley for garnish


Preheat oven to 200. Heat a large skillet on medium-high, add butter and oil. Add chicken breast in a single layer and brown for 5 minutes on each side. In a separate skillet melt 2 tbsp butter  and add mushrooms and garlic. Cook down mushrooms for about 10 minutes until golden and crisp. Place cooked chicken on an oven safe plate and keep warm in oven. Pour 1/2 C wine in pan and scrape crispy bits from the pan until wine boils. Cook down wine half way and add 1/2 C broth. Turn heat to high and cook down until syrupy. Meanwhile, add thyme, 1/4 C broth and 1/4 C wine to mushrooms and cook down until liquid becomes thick. Place chicken and mushrooms in the "chicken" skillet and coat with sauce.


(inspired by Basic Sauteed Chicken by DisneyFamily.com)

Creamy Sweet Potato and Chicken Casserole

1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 lbs sweet potatoes
2 carrots
4 chicken breasts, diced
2 tbsp flour
1 C dry white wine
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 C coconut milk
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 C cooked brown rice


Preheat oven to 400. Place olive oil, garlic and onion in large skillet and cook until golden over medium heat. Add sweet potatoes and carrots and cook for 5 minutes or until golden. Move vegetables to the side and place chicken in the middle. Cook chicken on all sides and sprinkle with flour. Stir in flour carefully not to make lumps. Add chicken stock slowly, stirring constantly. Then add wine, coconut milk and nutmeg. Bring to a boil then remove from heat. Place everything including pan scrapings into a 9x13 pan, cover and bake for 45 minutes. Let stand five minutes before serving over rice.


To Freeze: After placing in a 9x13 pan cover and freeze. Fully defrost before baking at 400 for 45 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving over rice.


(inspired by Sweet Potato Chicken Casserole by Rachel)

Mushroom Risotto

6 C chicken broth
3 tbsp olive oil
3 C mushrooms, finely chopped 
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 1/2 C basmati brown rice
1/2 C dry white wine
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp chives, finely chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 C water
1/2 C grated parmesan


In a saucepan, warm broth. Warm 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet and cook mushrooms until soft, about 3 minutes. Set aside. Add the remaining olive oil and cook shallots and onions until soft. Add rice and coat well with oil, cook for 3 minutes. Pour in wine and cook on medium until well absorbed. Add a 1/2 C warm chicken broth and stir until absorbed, repeat until all chicken broth is added. Add mushrooms, parmesan and water and cook until absorbed. 


(inspired by Gourmet Mushroom Risotto by Myleen)